Ice cube tray combination



L. G. COPEMAN ICE CUBE TRAY COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Sheet` l JNVENTOR.

z ora 6. Conf/MAN sept. 7, 1954 Filed NOV. 24, 1950- Sept., 7, 1954 L. G. coPEMAN 2,688,235

ICE CUBE TRAY COMBINATION Filed Nov. 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

H zzora 6. Cane-MAM Patented Sept. 7, 17954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ICE CUBE 'IRAY COM'INA/TIO Lloyd Gr. Gopeman, Metamora, Mich., assignor to Copeman Laboratories Company, Flint, Mich., a company of Michigan Application November 24, 1595i, serial No. 197,224

This invention relatesto an ice cube tray com.- bination particularly used for harvesting Si'e'e blocks and commonly used in refrigerators of the domestic type.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved rubber ice tray grid and an improved combination between a rubber grid 'and a tray 'or container'.

One of the problems in connection with a rubber ice tray grid is the fact that it is necessary to exert considerable initial force to remove the grid from vthe blocks. Ir this force could be reduced so that only `'one section of the 'grid was removed at a time, it would be considerably l'es's and would also result in the possibility of removing merely two or four cubes at a time to permit use as desired when an `entire tray was 'not needed.

Briefly, the invention consists of 'a rubber 'difvider which has a single separator extending longitudinally of a tray with a plurality of transverse separators spaced along the dividers.

In this invention, the central ldivider is split vertically between the transverse separators, the split portions lying lin contacting relation and aligned so that when the grid is .at rest the parts form a continuous wall. Along the top or central divider is a resilient stretchable 'or elongatable connecting portion which serves the handling means v'for the entire grid. The surface 0T the grid is important in its' operation. The preferred surface o'f the grid is a slippery smooth surface such described in Jennings Patents Nos. 2,303,938 and 2,455,366. This surfaoe is achieved by surface treatment or a Wax mignation condition and permits the grid tobe removed with a minimum of 'force Other objects 'and features of `the invention relating to the details of construction and operation and also to a combination with a household refrigerator having a rack .portion for holding the tray will be evident in the following description and claims.

Drawings accompany the speci'cation, `and the various views thereof may be 'briefly described as:

Figure 1, a longitudinal elevation of an lice tray showing a portion in section containing ice and a portion section `freed of ice.

Figure 2, a transverse section on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, a top view of the tray and grid combination.

Figure 4, an illustration showing the manner of operation of the grid.

Figure 5, a further view showing the operation 2 'of the grid as the removal proceeds toward the end.

Figure 6, a modified construction in which th transverse separators 'are disposed vat `an angle corresponding to the resultant 'directional force usually used in release.

Figure il, an illustration of a holding rack for a tray which permits a grid to be readily removed.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 a tray T is shown of the standard variety now in use. It consists .of a shallow pan formed 'of sheet metal, preferably aluminum, having a bottoml it and end walls l2. This tray has side walls 14, as shown in Figures "1 and 32, and these side walls 'are provided with .dimples It which form a pro- ,looting portion into the interior of the tray 'having relatively 'smooth rounded walls,

The separator or 'grid element for the tray consists 'of a single backbone portion extending rc'elitrally and longitudinally of the tray composed of around shaft of rubber 20 `extending the length :of the tray from. which ydepends vertical dividers 22, 23,221, 2.5, 2o, 2l, 2S and 29. `These dividers are thin webs of rubber formed in a narrowing taper from top to bottom. Each of the dividers is aligned with and contacting the edge 'oi the adjacent dividers so that when in position in the tray a substantially solid wall is for-med.

Extend-ing transversely of each divider substantially centrally thereof are transverse separators' iii, 33, Bil, 35, 136, '37, 35i 'and 39. These separators are formed with substantially the same cross section 'as the central dividers. At the joint between tlrecentral dividers l2l) to 2B an aperture All is formed directly below the connecting member Eil. At the end `of the connecting memebr '2d is a zfinger loop 'e2 which enables a person to grasp the end fio'r removing the separat-or.

The grid element is preferably formed of a soit, tough rubber which ifs 'quite pliable, the shaft k'2li being oi such a nature that they will 'stand considerable tension force and yet will `stretcll `under such torce. Aspreviously stated grid is .preferably treated to provide a smooth, relatively frictionless ice contacting surface, This may be accomplished, as described in detail in the previously mentioned patents, by immersing the grids in a halogen solution, a sulphuric acid solution, or by incorporating a wax with the rubber mix prior to molding.

In the operation of the deivce, the grid element is placed in the tray and the tray lled to a water level W which is approximately at the bottom of the holes 40. The tray is then placed in a freezing container and the water changed to ice.

When it is desired to remove cubes, the tray is removed from the refrigerator and placed on a flat surface. Then, as shown in Figure 4, the right hand may be applied to the tray to hold it down while the left hand lifts the loop 42. 1f the forenger F of the right hand is placed on the shaft 20, the rubber will stretch at 5D, permitting the web or separator 32 to lift together with the central divider 22, thus freeing ice cubes in the first compartment ofthe tray adjacent the end I2.

With the loosening of the webs 22 and 32 a slight twist of the tray will free the cubes at the fore end of the tray and they may be removed inasmuch as the removal of the web from between the cubes will permit them to approach 'each other and thus clear the inward projections I 6. Thus, projections I6 co-operate to hold the ice blocks in place as long as the grid is positioned between the pairs of cubes down the length of the container.

As shown in Figure 5, as the removal progresses down the container the right hand may be shifted and the left hand progressively moved down the grid, making it possible to remove a limited number of separators at a time.

In each case there is a stretching action between the two cross separators, permitting the lifting force or removal force to be applied to one cross grid at a time.

In Figure 6, a modified device is shown in which the backbone connector or shaft 60 is provided with ns 62, each of which lies at an angle to the vertical, the top being closer to the rear of the tray as it is operated. Thus, when a lifting force is applied, the resultant of the force is at an angle away from the lifting end and the transverse separators have a tendency to move straight up out of their angled slots, thus avoiding somewhat the distortion of these transverse separators 62.

In Figure 7, I have shown a rack 'l0 which consists of two tracks 12 which receive the edges of a tray as shown. A suitable stop is provided at the bottom to prevent the tray from slipping out. When the frozen tray isonce mounted, open side out, in the rack, the loop 42 may be grasped and the grid readily stripped from the ice `blocks which will remain in the tray by reason of their adhesion to the walls and bottom. The tray may then be removed and twisted to release the cubes from their other retaining walls. f

What I claim is:

1. An ice tray and grid combination comprising a tray of sheet material having sides inwardly dimpled at spaced intervals, and a flexible resilient separator grid to lie in said tray having separating walls extending across the tray in two directions, the separator walls extending in one direction being split vertically between the walls extending in the other direction and joined at the top by a flexible, stretchable element to permit sectional removal of said grid from an icefilled tray.

2. An ice tray grid or separator comprising a single longitudinally extending separator composed of a backbone member of resilient stretchable material and a plurality of individual, relatively thin central separators depending from said backbone in end-to-end relation, and a series of transverse separators normal to and extending from said central separators.

3. An ice tray grid as defined in claim 2 formed of soft rubber: treated to have smooth and relatively frictionless ice-contacting surfaces.

4. An ice tray grid or separator comprising a single longitudinally extending separator composed of a backbone member of resilient stretchable material and a plurality of individual, relatively thin central separators depending from said backbone in end-to-end contacting relation and a series of transverse separators carried by said individual separators.

5. An ice tray grid or separator comprising a -row of vertically disposed dividers arranged in aligned, end-to-end, contacting relation, transverse separators associated with said individual dividers, and means connecting said dividers comprising resilient, elongatable joints to permit said dividers and associated separators to be lifted one at a time from a surrounding block of ice.

6. An ice tray grid or separator comprising a row of vertically disposed, soft, smooth-surfaced, dividers arranged in aligned, end-to-end, contacting relation, a plurality of relatively soft, flexible, smooth-surfaced, transverse, longitudinally spaced separators associated with said individual dividers, and means connecting said dividers in their longitudinal relationship comprising an elongate member jointed to permit the ends of said grid to approach each other over the top of the grid, and means in said elongate member between the transverse separators movable to permit widening of the space between said separators and thus allow said dividers and associated separators to be lifted one at a time from a surrounding block of ice within a tray.

'7 An ice tray grid as defined in claim 2 formed of rubber having its exposed surfaces treated to provide smooth, relatively frictionless ice-contacting surfaces as compared with ordinary flexible molded rubber.

8. An ice tray grid as defined in claim 2 formed of rubber having a surface treated with a sulphuric acid solution to provide a smooth, relatively frictionless and easily slipable contacting surface as compared with the surface of ordinary flexible rubber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,939,445 Henne Dec. 12, 1933 2,031,812 Barrett Feb. 25, 1936 2,147,495 Miner Feb. 14, 1939 2,233,148 Vits Feb. 25, 1941 2,286,693 Steenstrup June 16, 1942 2,303,938 Jennings Dec. 1, 1942 2,378,845 Hallock June 19, 1945 2,426,515 Lutz Aug. 26, 1947 2,455,366 Jennings Dec. 7, 1948 

